March 20 (Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Ted Leonsis, owner of
the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals, said reading was
the key to his success.

At last night’s Everybody Wins! DC charity gala, where
Leonsis was the keynote speaker, the founder and chief executive
officer of Monumental Sports & Entertainment said his favorite
book as a child was “Thomas the Tank Engine” which taught him
to “never give up.”

Senator Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat, who is a longstanding
participant in the Everybody Wins! DC program, said he enjoyed
reading stories by Roald Dahl to youngsters.

General Dynamics Corp.’s chief financial officer, Hugh
Redd, who attended the Capital Hilton silent auction and dinner
with wife, Cindy, said they read “Quick as a Cricket” to their
grandchildren. The gala raised more $400,000.

Kraus received the “Corporate Statesmanship Award” from
the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress. Other
honorees at the Ritz-Carlton were former senators Richard Lugar
and Sam Nunn, and actor Gary Sinise.

Kraus said the book “crystalized thinking” about women in
the workforce, adding that she herself raised her children and
went to school while pursuing her career.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre, former World Wrestling
Entertainment Inc. CEO Linda McMahon, and Congressman Doug
Lamborn, the Colorado Republican, were among the other guests at
the event, which donated its floral centerpieces to the spouses
of wounded warriors.

Irish Poets

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wore a Celtic pin given to her
by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny at the American Ireland
Fund’s 21st annual gala at the National Building Museum Monday
night.

Gillibrand and Senator Patrick Toomey, Pennsylvania
Republican, received the Leadership Award from the fund, which
raises money and awareness for a variety of Irish charities and
cultural institutions as part of the Ireland Funds.

During the cocktail reception, Kenny posed for photographs
with everyone from Senator Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Democrat,
to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.